Posts Tagged ‘hope’

Connect the dots back to Genesis…and find hope!

Posted: October 22, 2011 by Pam Larson in Devotionals/Commentaries, October, Song of Solomon
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Solomon 6:10

I belong to my lover,  and his desire is for me.

Steve Zeisler, Peninsula Bible Church:

The word translated “desire” in verse 10 is used only two other times in the Old Testament. Genesis 3:16 is God’s statement to Eve: “Your desire shall be for your husband, and he shall rule over you,” and it refers to a painful state of co-dependency in which one person is drawn to another who pushes away. The word is used in a similar way in Genesis 4:8 where, again, it references the hurt of sinfulness.

cross_man_dot2dotI don’t believe that the author of Song of Songs intended that readers like us would connect those dots back to Genesis. But this book draws our attention to more profound things than just the story of two people who love each other. Generations of readers have discovered the love of God in this story as well. We read of a husband honoring his wife, and we hear the voice of Christ honoring His Bride. The bride and groom resting peacefully in one another’s arms remind us of the peace and rest and acceptance that Jesus offers to us as His children and as His Bride. And the word “desire” that is used elsewhere in the context of tragedy and sin and pain in marriage is here reversed; here it is the man who desires his wife (“His desire is for me.”). Now the word has a context of hope. Song of Songs is a story of redemption, of God bringing beauty where there was brokenness. And even though its human author probably never intended such theological reflection, the story sings greater songs with deeper profundity than even “proper exegesis” of the text might suggest.

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Recipe for a Hopeful Sandwich

Posted: October 21, 2011 by Pam Larson in 1 Peter, Devotionals/Commentaries, October
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1 Peter 3:14-15 But even if you should suffer for righteousness’ sake, you will be blessed. Have no fear of them, nor be troubled,  but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect,

John Piper, in a sermon, “Make a Case for Your Hope”

sandwichPicture this text as a sandwich, with a piece of bread on top, then a piece of meat, and underneath another piece of bread almost like the first one.

  1. The top piece of bread says, “Don’t be afraid of your adversaries, don’t be troubled.”
  2. The bottom piece of bread says, “Always be ready to make a case for the hope you feel inside.”

Now compare these two pieces of bread. The top piece says, “Don’t be afraid.” But in order not to be afraid you have to have some reason to be hopeful. The bottom piece says, “Be ready to make a case for your hope.” But in order to make a case for your hope, you have to have some reason to be hopeful. In other words, both of these pieces of bread are commanding us to do the same thing: namely, do what we need to do to have our hearts brimming with hope instead of fear.

And I think it is the meat sandwiched between these two pieces of bread that tells us what we must do in order to be hopeful persons instead of fearful persons. And that is: Reverence the Lord Christ in our hearts. How shall you not fear when the path of righteousness seems to lead only into darkness? Answer: Reverence the Lord Christ in your heart, and your fear will be replaced with hope. How shall you always be ready to make a case for your hope? Answer: Reverence the Lord Christ in your heart, and you will always have a reason to give for why you are hopeful.

Is the anchor of my soul as firmly attached to my soul as it is to the altar of God?

Posted: September 10, 2011 by Pam Larson in Devotionals/Commentaries, Hebrews, September
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This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, a hope both sure and steadfast and one which enters within the veil,  where Jesus has entered as a forerunner for us, having become a high priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.

John Piper, in a sermon,”Hope Anchored in Heaven,” on Hebrews 6:19-20:

Now here is the burning question for me. Is the anchor of my soul as firmly attached to my soul as it is to the altar of God? In other words is the picture here of an anchor with its hook and chain bound unbreakably to the altar of God in the holy of holies so that nothing could loose it from that end, but with the rope just hanging out of heaven in the air? Is the only point of this text to say “Take hold of the loose end of this rope and you will have safety and firmness and assurance”?

anchorWould that give you the sense of security and confidence and hope and firmness that last week’s text and this text seem to be about? What was the point of an anchor in those days? It was to keep you from being blown by the wind or swept by the tide into destruction—out to sea or on the rocks. But what if someone said: I have fitted your boat with a good solid heavy anchor that will grip any sea-bottom. Only have not made it fast to the boat. Would that give you encouragement?

I don’t think that is the image the author has in mind here. When he says in verse 19 that we have an “anchor of the soul” I think he means that the anchor is firmly anchored in heaven, and the anchor is firmly attached to the Christian’s soul.

Here are my four reasons for thinking this, which I pray will give you a deep sense of God’s sovereign care for your perseverance and hope and encouragement. You are not left to yourself to hold on the storms of life.

To read or listen to these 4 fantastic reasons, click here to take you to the Desiring God sermon page:

Hope sandwiched between grace and glory

Posted: August 21, 2011 by Pam Larson in August, Devotionals/Commentaries, Titus
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For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, 12 training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works. —Titus 2:11 

John Piper, in a sermon, “Our Hope: The Appearing of Jesus Christ”

Notice first of all from our text in Titus 2 that there are two appearings of Christ—one called an appearing of grace, the other called an appearing of glory.

Verse 11: “For the grace of God has appeared for the salvation of all men.” That is the first coming of Christ—the appearance of grace.

Then verse 13: “Awaiting our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ.” That is the second coming of Christ—the appearance of glory.

First grace, then glory. In Paul’s mind these two are inseparably linked. Which is why the rejection of a real second coming is an attack on the very center of our faith, namely, the first coming of Christ to die for sins. The Christ who will come in glory is the Christ who came in grace.

Verse 14 describes just how that grace appeared—”[Christ] gave himself for us to redeem us from all iniquity and to purify for himself a people of his own who are zealous for good deeds.” So when the grace of God appeared in history about 2,000 years ago, it appeared as a real man, who really died to redeem us from sin and to make us zealous, or passionate, for good deeds. This was the aim or purpose of the appearance of God’s grace in Jesus Christ.

That same aim of grace is described in verse 12 as well: “The grace of God appeared training us to renounce irreligion and worldly passions, and to live sober, upright, and godly lives in this world.” That is the same as saying (in v. 14) that Christ aimed to purify us and make us zealous for good deeds.

So verses 12 and 14 are like a sandwich around verse 13. Both verses describe the aim and effect of God’s grace as it appeared in the first coming of Jesus Christ. The meat in the middle of the sandwich is our blessed hope (v. 13). What God’s grace has begun in our lives through the first coming of Christ his glory he will complete in our lives through the second coming of Christ.

Piper: What Is Our Hope Based On?

Posted: July 22, 2011 by Pam Larson in 2 Thessalonians, Devotionals/Commentaries, July
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John Piper, in a sermon, “Why Hope? Grace!”

The answer in today’s text is very simply, the grace of God. Our hope is rooted in the grace of God. It is based on the grace of God. If God were not a gracious God, we would have no hope. We could cross our fingers. We could have strong desires and wishes. We could even perhaps decide, by sheer dint of will-power, to be positive thinkers and thus make the best of our brief and uncertain lives. But there could be no talk of moral certainty about good things in the future. There could be no confident expectation that all things will work out in a wonderfully happy way for us.

The foundation of that confidence—that biblical hope—is the grace of God. Let’s get the text of God’s Word before us. 2 Thessalonians 2:16–17,

Now may our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God our Father, who loved us and gave us eternal comfort and good hope through grace, comfort your hearts and establish them in every good work and word.

The phrase that we will focus on is the phrase, “good hope through grace.” The hope we have is a good hope. And it comes to us “through grace” or “by grace.” So when someone asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, one basic answer you can give is that you have tasted the grace of God. You have gotten your good hope through his grace.

Spurgeon: Hope in God’s intervention

Posted: February 16, 2011 by Pam Larson in Devotionals/Commentaries, February, Psalms
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But for you, O Lord, do I wait; it is you, O Lord my God, who will answer.

C. H. Spurgeon on Psalm 38:15

Hope in God’s intervention, and belief in the power of prayer, are two most blessed stays to the soul in time of adversity. Turning right away from the creature to the sovereign Lord of all, and to him as our own covenant God, we shall find the richest solace in waiting upon him.

The Imminence of Jesus’ Second Coming

Posted: March 11, 2009 by 4theloveofgod in Devotionals/Commentaries, March, Matthew
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What is imminence?   Wikipedia says, “Imminence is the quality of being imminent, i.e. about to happen.”  In today’s passage from Matthew, we read of the second coming of Christ. His coming was “imminent” for the believers living before A.D. 70; it was “imminent” for the Reformers; and it is “imminent” for us.

jesus-coming-soonPeter comments, “But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything in it will be laid bare” (2 Peter 3:8-10). God’s patience is rooted in his love for us: “not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.” And when viewed from eternity—God’s perspective always, and one day ours—all the horrible sufferings of this life are but, “slight momentary affliction,” and it “is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison” (2 Corinthians 4:17).

He is coming back SOON, and may that provide great HOPE for us all!